Drinking Water and Water Supply Frequently Asked Questions
Drinking Water Quality

  • Why is my drinking water milky, cloudy or white?
  • What is the chlorine taste or odor in my water?
  • Why is my water discolored (yellow, red, or brown)?
  • What would cause a musty, moldy, or earthy taste or odor in the water?
  • Why is fluoride added to the water? Is it safe? 
  • I'm getting pink or black residues on surfaces in contact with water. Why? 
  • I see white or black particles in the water. What causes this? 
  • My water is cloudy and/or tastes bad. Who should I contact?
  • Is my water safe? Do I need to boil my water?
  • My family has been sick. How can I be sure my water is not the cause?
  • I have low water pressure in my home. Who should I contact?
  • What is the range of water pressure in Greensboro?

Emergency Drinking Water

  • Where does our water come from?
  • What has the Water Resources Department done to prepare for emergencies?
  • How do I store water?
  • Where can I get more information?

Home Water Filtration and Heating

  • Do I need a water filter?
  • How do I flush a water heater?
  • How do I disinfect a water heater?

Water Hardness

  • Somebody left bottles at my house as part of a Community Water Test. Does the Greensboro Water Resources Department do this?
  • My neighbor had this test done and was told the Greensboro City water is alkaline. Is this true?
  • Does Greensboro have 'hard' water? And what exactly does that mean?
  • What are these grains of hardness that people refer to?
  • My neighbor said City water has a hardness of 2-3 gpg. Is that hard or soft?
  • What causes water hardness? Should I be concerned about contamination?
  • Are there advantages to having extremely soft water?
  • What about disadvantages to softening?
  • Why would anyone in Greensboro soften the City water if we already have moderately soft water?